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Lawn Care Simplified

September 5, 2022
Ken Burger

 

SPRING LAWN CARE SIMPLIFIED – OUR GUIDE TO ACHIEVING A SPECTACULAR LAWN

We hear it all the time, “I just want a pretty lawn, but I’ve got some weeds and some bare spots.  What do I do first?”  The truth is that there is not one correct answer because so much depends on the current condition of your lawn that would dictate what the appropriate approach would be.  Following are our simplified step by step approaches to getting a beautiful lawn based on some scenarios that might match your lawns current condition.

My lawn looks great – I just want to keep it that way 

Awesome, sounds like whatever you’ve been doing, or someone did before you, must be working so let’s follow these steps to maintain this great lawn.

Step 1 – Apply a pre-emergent weed preventer, Fertilome’s All Seasons Weed Preventer and Lawn Food, in early Spring.  This will help keep pesky weed seeds from germinating and taking root.  You will not be able to over seed your lawn however as the herbicide could kill your grass seed as well.

Step 2 – Keep your lawn well watered this summer.  Fewer deeper soakings are better than daily light watering.  Lawns should receive approximately 1 inch of rain per week.

Step 3 – Spot control any weeds or crabgrass that appear with Fertilome’s Weed-Out or Weed Free Zone, weed killer.

Step 4 – In the fall, around Labor Day, aerate your lawn and apply a good lawn fertilize such as Fertilome’s Lawn Food plus iron.  (28-4-4) Note: Lawn aeration is only required once every two or three years.  If your lawn soil has a lot of clay in it, you may also consider applying a granular gypsum product at a rate of 8# per 1000 sq. ft. that will help break up the clay soil

Step 5 – Apply a second feeding of Fertilome’s Lawn Food plus iron 4 to 6 weeks after first feeding.

My lawn is mostly grass but has pretty many weeds and maybe a few bare spots or some moss

Step 1 – Spray early season weeds with Fertilome’s Weed Free Zone.  This herbicide can be applied when daytime temperatures are in the 40’s to actively growing weeds.  If you have moss in your yard; it can be an indicator that your soil is compacted and needs to be aerated, has insufficient drainage and stays too wet, doesn’t get enough light to support plant growth or the soil Ph level is too acidic and needs to be “sweetend” by adding granular agricultural limestone to you lawn.  Moss is very shallow rooted and can easily be raked away before making changes.

Step 2 – No sooner than three weeks after you sprayed for early season weeds, seed bare spots and over-seed the rest of your lawn with grass seed at a rate of 5# per 1000 sq. ft.  Soil temperatures should be at 50 degrees in order for seed to germinate.  Be sure to scratch or loosen up the top ½” layer of soil before sowing grass seed and keep watered.  Note: Turf Type Tall fescue is great grass seed for our area but does require a minimum of 4 to 8 hours of sunlight per day to grow well.  If your lawn or parts of it get less sunlight than 4 to 8 hours; we suggest you use “Shady Mix” grass seed which only requires 2 to 4 hours of sunlight per day.  Areas of your yard that receive less than 2 hours of sunlight per day might be better suited for a shade loving perennial ground cover instead of grass.

Step 3 – Apply New Lawn Starter Fertilizer when you seed at a rate of 4# per 1000 sq. ft.  This will give your new grass seed sufficient nutrients to get a new root system started

Step 4 – No sooner than four weeks after you planted grass seed; spot control any weeds or crabgrass that appear with Fertilome’s Weed-Out or Weed Free Zone, weed killer.  Do not apply in the heat of the day as it may harm your tender new grass.

Step 5 – Keep your lawn well watered this summer.  Fewer deeper soakings are better than daily light watering.  Lawns should receive approximately 1 inch of rain per week.

Step 6 – In the fall, around Labor Day, aerate your lawn and apply a good lawn fertilize such as Fertilome’s Lawn Food plus iron.  (28-4-4) Note: Lawn aeration is only required once every two or three years.  If your lawn soil has a lot of clay in it, you may also consider applying a granular gypsum product at a rate of 8# per 1000 sq. ft. that will help break up the clay soil.

Step 7 – Apply a second feeding of Fertilome’s Lawn Food plus iron 4 to 6 weeks after first feeding.

Step 8 – Next Spring, re-evaluate the condition of your lawn and follow which ever steps best represent the condition of your lawn.  Getting a well established lawn may take multiple years so don’t get discouraged.

 

Lawn is in trouble – Just as many weeds as grass, bare spots and maybe some moss; it’s a mess

If this scenario best describes the current condition of your lawn, we suggest you come in and talk with one of our experts on lawn care so we can determine the best approach for you based on your desired outcome and the amount of money you want to allocate to the project.  We’ll want to ask you a number of questions about your lawns characteristics in order to develop a plan for you.

Once you decide on the approach you want to take, our friendly staff here at Burger Farm will be glad to help you get everything you need.